Sadiq Khan Blimp Takes To The Skies In London As Crowd Chants For Mayor 'To Go'

'I don't really think yellow's my colour though.'
An inflated blimp of London mayor Sadiq Khan depicted in a bikini flies over Parliament Square
An inflated blimp of London mayor Sadiq Khan depicted in a bikini flies over Parliament Square
David Mirzoeff - PA Images via Getty Images

A giant balloon of London Mayor Sadiq Khan dressed in a bikini has taken to the skies ahead of an event which will see it launched over Parliament Square today.

The launch of the 29ft blimp comes as the man behind the event, Yanny Bruere, attempted to defend himself against claims he previously sent anti-semitic tweets from a now deleted twitter account.

Appearing on Sky News, Bruere said the tweets were “taken out of context” and reports on it were full of “inaccuracies”.

The "tweets were taken out of context."@YannyBruere, the organiser of a 29ft, bikini-clad @SadiqKhan balloon defends tweets some have described as anti-semitic.

Read about the balloon here: https://t.co/m2hsO3aIm7 pic.twitter.com/ilugkIDQ1J

— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 1, 2018

One supporter, Gavin Leonard, 59, from east London, said: “I think it’s very funny, it deliberately subverts the beach body ready adverts that Sadiq was so keen to ban.

“I always expected the crowd to be smaller than the Trump crowds – this is a bit of fun.

“I think Sadiq Khan has been a terrible mayor for London.

“I’ve lived here for 25 years and the feeling of impending crime on the streets has never been worse.”

Event organisers raised £58,000 on a crowdfunding site for the stunt as part of a campaign to get the mayor removed from office.

Some of those gathered to watch the blimp today chanted that it was time for the mayor “to go” from office.

Some attendees are chanting that it’s time for Sadiq Khan “to go” #SadiqBlimp pic.twitter.com/h4pu0CBJde

— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) September 1, 2018

Spotted at today’s rather pitiful Sadiq Khan blimp launch in Parliament Square - a handful of known far-right extremists and a couple of people carrying inflatable pigs with Khan masks on. pic.twitter.com/Rl1ITKsvGb

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) September 1, 2018

They claim crime has risen sharply during his time in office and want to use the inflatable to “demonstrate our unhappiness with him as our mayor of London”.

Khan has been relaxed about the blimp, having previously defended the flying of a giant Trump blimp during the US President’s first presidential trip to the UK.

The Mayor was relaxed about the blimp saying earlier this week that people were 'welcome' to watch it
The Mayor was relaxed about the blimp saying earlier this week that people were 'welcome' to watch it
David Mirzoeff - PA Images via Getty Images

Speaking to ITV London earlier this week, the Mayor remarked: “If people want to spend their Saturday looking at me in a yellow bikini they’re welcome to do so – I don’t really think yellow’s my colour though.”

More than 3,400 backed the Khan blimp event which was promoted on Facebook and through a crowdfunding page that read: “Under Sadiq Khan, we have seen crime skyrocket to unprecedented levels.

“People in London don’t feel safe and they aren’t safe, 81 murders this year alone! Khan Out.”

The bikini design of the inflatable is in reference to his decision to ban adverts on the Tube showing a woman in a similar swimsuit.

It featured the caption “are you beach body ready?” - which was said to promote an unhealthy body image.

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